I will always protect you
by CrazyGabs
Summary: Follow on to Second Chances although you can read this without that one. Danny stalks a young woman. Read and Review. X


**Disclaimer: I do not own CSI NY nor Danny Messer or any other characters you recognise.**

**Summary: Follow on to Second Chances but further into the future again. Danny stalks a young girl, only to keep her safe and protect her in this dangerous world. **

**I found that I really enjoy this little fantasy world I created for this family, so you may hear more from them. Depending, obviously if you like them and if my muse cooperates.**

**Read and Review.  
**

Danny sat in the corner, his back against the wall, his hand caressing the beer in his hand while his eyes stayed trained on the young woman behind the bar. Her hair was beautiful, chocolate brown curls stroking her face softly, her sparkling blue eyes smiled at the customers as she passed their drinks over to them. Every so often her eyes would flicker to him and he saw her roll them a little. But he didn't care. Untill she agreed to find a different job, a safer job, he would be here every night she worked. Just incase. That's what he told himself. Just incase.

He had seen cases before, where young girls who thought they were safe, who were lulled into a false sense of security wound up hurt. And he refused to let that happen to his daughter.

He watched her now, placing the tray carefully onto her palm and walk round the bar, collecting the empties. He groaned silenty as he saw her uniform, same as always. When she had started he had been furious when he heard that the boss insisted they wear black skirts and tight tops.

"It's to get good tips Dad! Nothing else." She had wined.

"Nothing else to you. But what about those punters who watch you all night and decide to grab you as your leaving work?" He had argued with his teenage daughter as she sat on the couch watching the television absentmindedly.

"You exagerate Dad. Always have done." Munching on her crisps she flicked the channel, a sign that their conversation, in her eyes was over.

Walking out the room he muttered as he left. "You don't know what I've seen Evie."

He saw her smile at the regulars, bat her eyelashes, even flirt a little and he felt his stomach twist. She was just asking for trouble, she shouldn't encourage them like that. Danny knew what men were like, unfortunatley, and he knew that some wouldn't understand if a girl says no after flirting with you all night.

Her hips swayed, causing her short skirt to sway with them and she leant over tables, her brown curls brushing against these old men as she reached for their emptie glasses. And Danny watched. He saw the men watch her and he felt his stomach tighten more. Didn't they know that she was practically a child? That she was his child.

Did they not know that when she was five she had created a whole different world, Loplafe city, a place filled with lilac flowers and horses who were your best friend?

Did they not remember when she was eight and had gotten her face painted like a tiger just to scare the lab?

Could they not remember how everyone, even Sid had pretended to cower in terror from his little angel?

Did they not have copies of the pictures she used to draw him even when she was ten?

Had they not attended her ballet shows when she was thirteen and been shocked by how grown up she was becoming?

Were they not there when she was fifteen and had sung Amazing Grace at her mother's funeral?

His eyes clouded a little as he remember that year. She had refused to come home for two months after her mother's death. Instead she had spent those two months at Mac's house. Her second home. He had worried, barely grieved himself for trying to look after his children. But Tom had dealt with it, he was older, maturer, able to handle the death of his mother and move on in some way. But she refused to return to their house and he knew what she was going through.

Every night it was difficult for him to climb into his double bed that he had shared with his wife, and find it empty. Even now it still hurt. But then after two months, he had recieved a text from her. Rushing to Mac's, he had found her, bags packed, tears streaming down her cheeks. And she fell into him, and cried, sobbed into his chest. Making him ache with pain, unable to stop her from feeling what was natural. Muttering nonsense about how it would be ok he had lifted her into his arms and carried her home, even then knowing that his words were false promises.

His attention snapped back to the present as he saw her hand some guy a drink, and as she did, his hand wrapped around her wrist. He saw his daughter's skin whiten from the pressure of the bloke's fingers and instantly he was up. Ready to protect her, he felt his pulse quicken through his body but then her eyes found his. And he saw the confidence and the silent message : "I'm ok."

Pausing he watched as she leant forward along the bar and glared at the man. He saw her mouth move but he couldn't hear the words above the noise of the music. But he saw her eyes narrow and watched as her other hand grabbed the blokes and wrenched it from her arm. The guy's face reddened more than it was and he stumbled out of the bar, muttering as he passed Danny.

"Fiesty broad."

Danny was tempted to give the guy a swift dig in the back, one that probably wouldn't hurt right now, but would be a bitch in the morning. But he let it go. Instead he swelled with pride at his daughter. No longer a child in so many ways but forever his little girl. He had no idea what she had said to that jerk but it had worked and he took in the way she had remained cool and calm, like her mother. Not him.

He would have kicked that guy's ass, made him pay for just thinking about his girl. But she was like Lindsay. Gracious. Loving. Caring. Funny. Always had been. Lindsay used to say that the only way you would know Danny was her father was her sarcasm and her sparkling blue eyes. Both completely identical to Danny's. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Pulling it out he put it to his ear.

"No not yet. She has another hour to go, then I think we're heading home. Yeah, no problem. I'll see you tomorrow Mac."

As he turned out he found her stood behind him. Starting to smile, he stopped as he noticed her dark angry eyes, just like her mother's.

"Hey sweetie."

"Don't 'Hey Sweetie' me. Come on, you can come home now. I've finished early." It was only then that Danny noticed she had on her big winter coat and her bag in her hand. Nodding he grabbed his jacket and swung it on, pushing the door open for his daughter he bid the doorman farewell before hailing a taxi.

They spent the taxi ride in silence, Danny too smart to try and talk to her, Evie too angry. Pulling up infront of their building, Danny paid the taxi driver as she climbed out, shivering from the cold. They rode in the elevator in silence, but Danny felt the tension build and as soon as he shut their front door behind them, she turned on him.

"For God's Sake Dad, you don't have to come every night!" She hung her jacket on the hook and glared at him as he threw his on the couch.

"We've been through this before Evelyn. I do as long as you continue to work there. If you get so annoyed with me being around and watching every night then why don't you get another job? Mac's offered you a job in the lab untill you decide on your major, but you turned that down." He made his way into the kitchen to fix himself a drink, but still he heard her growl behind him.

"Urgh! You don't get it do you? I can't keep relying on you and Uncle Mac for the rest of my life.."

He poked his head back into the living room where she was stood and cut her off. "Why not? Why not Evie? We'd gladly look after you forever and a day you know that."

Frustrated she clenched her fists and threw her head back letting out a frustrated, angry roar. "Because. I'm an adult Dad! I can't stay your little girl forever." And with that she turned sharply on her heel and made her way into her bedroom, slamming her door as she did.

Nodding, Danny exhaled and turned the lights off, preparing for bed as he let the painful truth sink in. She was right, she couldn't stay his baby forever. She was eighteen now, an adult but that didn't stop him wanting to protect her. No matter how old she got he would always want to protect her. She just couldn't be his little girl forever. Sliding into his bed, he switched the lights off and tried to drift off to sleep.

Yet after only a few minutes, he heard her bedroom door creek open. He heard the hall light being switched on, and he felt the light creep into his room as she silently opened his door. And then he heard her voice. Soft as it had been when she was a child, and he heard her tears through her voice.

"Daddy?"

Rolling over he stared at his daughter, with her makeup gone you could still see her angelic baby face that he loved. And he could see the tears falling down her porcelain cheeks. Stepping out of bed he pulled on some sweatpants and then made his way over to her. Almost instantly she fell into his arms, she did this every once in awhile, sneak into his room after a fight just to make sure it was alright still. Some would say that it was because of her mother's death, that she was afraid of letting the sun set on angry terms, incase it didn't rise in the morning to make it right again.

But she had always been like this. Ever since she was a small child, she needed to let him know she never meant the harsh words she may have said. She needed to let him know that she loved him and he loved her.

Only the tears came since her mother's death.

And as he held her then. In his strong arms, he felt her hot tears wet his shoulder and he rocked her back and forth in the doorway. And he knew. No matter how old she got, she would always be his little girl.

**Fin.**

**Hope you enjoyed.**

**Crazy Gabs**

**xxx**

**p.s This is unbetad because a) its just a one shot and Im not sure where my beta has gone :(**


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